WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 5, “The Truth,” now streaming on Disney+.
The penultimate episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was a big one, having the titular characters come to terms with their past and present before looking ahead to the future. It also introduced Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, marking the comic character’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, and this is likely far from the last time Val will appear, especially when it comes to the upcoming Secret Invasion.
Fontaine appears in “Truth” after John Walker faces the consequences of brutally killing a Flag Smasher in public. He’s put on trial for his actions, and he loses the title of Captain America and his military honors. While Walker’s at his lowest, he’s approached by the mysterious Val. She tries to comfort the former Cap, saying no one actually disapproved of his decision and affirms that taking the super-soldier serum was a good choice. Just as soon as she enters, she’s gone, leaving her card for future correspondences.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view.
Val enters the MCU with a storied history in the comics. Debuting in 1967’s Strange Tales #159, she started as a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative and recurring love interest for Nick Fury, leading a group known as the “Femme Force.” However, 2009’s Secret Warriors comic series revealed an ugly truth about her. She was a double agent for the Soviet organization Leviathan. After her defection, she entrenches herself within the villainous Hydra, even becoming leader of the group with the title “Madame Hydra.”
It’s become clear since Louis-Dreyfus’ appearance that Marvel Studios intends to not let this be the last time we see Val, as she was reportedly set to originally debut in Black Widow. Plus, given the character’s background, the project that makes the most sense for her to play a larger role is Secret Invasion.
The upcoming series will star Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn, reprising their roles as Nick Fury and Talos, respectively. Though little is known about the plot of the show, the comic crossover series of the same name had Earth’s Mightiest Heroes attempting to save the planet from the shape-shifting Skrulls.
As mentioned before, Val and Nick Fury have a storied history. Secret Invasion could be a prime opportunity to bring that story to life, as the live-action versions come into each other’s lives, thus creating an “estranged exes” dynamic between the two, which is strained as they attempt to work together. Additionally, the character has her own link to the Skrulls, considering that she has been impersonated twice by the shapeshifters. If the Secret Invasion creators decide to bring Val’s relationship with Fury and her involvement with the Skrulls to the screen, audiences could see a lot more of her in the new series.
Created by Malcolm Spellman and directed by Kari Skogland, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Wyatt Russell, Erin Kellyman, Adepero Oduye, Florence Kasumba and Daniel Brühl. New episodes debut Fridays on Disney+.